Railroad crossing



July 2s, 192s.

D; w. MxLLsAPs RAILROAD cjRossING Filed Dec. s, 192A` `2 sheets-sheet 1 ,E Mil/Salva.

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July 2s, 192s. 1,547,939 D. -W. MILLSAPS RAILROAD cRossING Filed Dep. s, 1924 2 sheen-sheet 2 1 so as not to .interfere with the travelof the "supported uponv the base plate 10 between Patented July 28, 1925.

DANIEL W.'1vr11.nsa1 s, orv wnsnnvq'romnisrnrcr or Cornavin;A.Y

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Application filed December 3,' Serial` No. 753,672. i

To all' whom t mayy concern.'

Beit known that I, DANIEL W. MILLsArs,

a citizen of the United States, residingv at Washington, in the District of` Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Crossings, of which the following-is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad crossings. f

The rails ofthe respective tracks are of course interrupted at their pointo-fy intersection, and the corners of the rails orV crossing at thispoint are constantly battered by the wheels of the cars passing thereover,` whichl frequently necessitates the pointing.

" structure.

of these corners at a considerable-expense. Then again, the cars are subjected to undue jar as they pass over the crossing,fandwith resultant noise that isobjectionable. j

It is therefore the purpose of this inventionto provide a plurality of'blocks at each intersection, and arrange to fill the inter-` rupted` portions, and-across whichth'e treads ofthe wheelsare adaptedto pass,and-thus prevent battering of the corners as above stated, andl to alsomaterially reduce the noise incident to the passage of the cars over the crossing. Y i, l j

One of the chief characteristics ofthe cally andyieldably held in this positionby means 'which allows. the blocks to be moved by the flange ofthe wheel in either direction cars as will be readily understood. y'

Anotherobject',v of; importance resides the crossing, structure generally, which'ral-f lows the blocks to be replaced when desired without removing the rails from their foundation, and allow this duty to be r.accomplished in a comparatively short time with a l minimum of expense. f

The nature and advantages ofthe invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this appresent invention' resides in the manner of Vsupporting each block, to allow the cars tof pass over the crossing in either direction, 'each block being normally arranged verti Figure l5 is a. perspective'view of one of` the tie plates. l

Figure 6` is an end elevation of one of the railsections forming partof'the crossing vFigure '7 the corner blocks.' p y Referring to the4 drawings in detail 10 represents a base plate which is arranged at v eachintersection, and of course embedded in the .foundation beneath the interrupted portions of the rails as will ybe readily understood. `Supported on this base plate are the corner pieces, each 'of which isof substantially L-shaped formation', in plan as clearly villustrated'inFigure 7 There are four of theseecornerspi'eces 11 as 'shown in Figure 1, andeach corner piece is held fixed relatively to the lbase 'plate 10y by suitable bolts'12 which are passed downwardly through the corner pieces and threaded yor otherwise suit'- fablysecured to the base plate 10 as shown in Figure 3. The headslof the bolts are countersunk in depressionsl?) in the tops of, said corner pieces, theiintersecting rails 14 and- -15 of the. trackway have their` adjacent ends each adj acentpair of corner pieces as shown in Figure ll, and consequently the corner pieces'are suitably spaced'apart to provide a groove or passage for the" flange of each car wheel. Interposed between the end of` tion 16l fills the'space between the adjacent end of the rail o f the track and the Corner` pieces 11 for a purpose to be hereinafter ydeis a perspective view of one of 70 one of said springs.

scribed in detail, namely to facilitate gaining access to the tread blocks 18 as the occasion may require.

Located within each flange receivingV groove defined by the space between the corner pieces 11 is one of the tread or filler blocks 18 and these blocks are of a size to lie -lush with the surfaces of said cornerpieces', and utilized to provide a continuous tread for the passage of the car wheels across the intersection. Each block is mounted for pivotal movement upon a pivot 19, which is carried by one corner piece of each pair of .corner pieces, and adapted to be received by an opening in the adjacent corner piece as will be readily understood. This pivot 19 is clearly shown in Figure 7, and is arranged above and parallel with a pair of pins 2O and 21, respectively, which also project laterally from the corner piece 11 supporting the pivot 19 and thel opposite sides thereof. Fivotally mounted on these pins 2O and 21 are spaced vertically disposed plates 22 and 23, respectively, which are normally arranged in the manner shown in Figure 2, to maintain the adjacent filler block 18 in a vertical position. As shown inV Figure 2, the plates 22 and 28 engage the opposite sides of the block 18 for the purpose just mentioned, the plates being maintained in this position through the instrumentality of coiled springs 24. There is one of these springs for each plate, the inner end of each spring being secured to a lug 25 depending from the adjacent plate, while the outer end of the spring is secured in any suitable manner ,as at 26 to the base plate 10. By reason of this construction, it is manifest, that when the car is travelling in one direction, the flange of the wheel strikes one of the blocks 18 moving it to an out of the way position upon its pivot 19 and against the tension ofon'e of the springs 24, and after the car has passed over the crossing the particular block so edected is automatically returned to its normal position by means of The other block remains in its normal position and provides a support for the wheels of the car, the treads of the wheels engaging the last mentioned blocks, so that the car can pass over the crossing smoothly, andeliminatethe jar and noise above referred to. Also projecting from the corner piece 11 supporting Vthe pivot 19 are pins 27, there being one of these pins for each of the pivoted plates 22 and 23, respectively, the pins beingl arranged to limit the movement of each plate when it is returned to its normal position under the influence of the spring 24. In addition to using the bolts 12 for holding the corner pieces 11 fixed relatively, I also employ plates 28 such as shown in Figure 5, each plate having a plurality of squared openings 29 to receive lugs 8O which rise from the base plate 10, when these parts are operatively associated. This construction is shown in Figures 1 and 8, wherein it will be noted that one of the plates 28 is used in connection with each corner piece 11, with one corner of each plate 28 snugly fitted in the angle between the branches of the adjacent corner piece.` The entire structure is very strong and rigid.

Now, should it be necessary to replace any or all of the blocks 18, this can be conveniently and quickly accomplished without disturbing the rails of the trackway. For this purpose it is only necessary to'remove the rail sections 16 above referred to together with their webs 17 as each of these sections can be lifted upwardly from the surfaces between the corner pieces 11. When the said rail sections are removed, ample space is provided between the adjacent ends of the rails of the track and the ends of the corner pieces to allow the corner pieces to be slid upon the base 10 suicient distance to separate them from the adjacent corner going description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily appare-nt, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within-the scope of what is claimed. Y

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a railroad crossing, cross rails having interrupted portions therein adjacent their points of intersection, blocks filling said interrupted portions and mounted for pivotal movement in either direction, and yieldably mounted plates arranged at the opposite sides of each block for normally holding the latter in a vertical position for the purpose specified.

2. In a railroad crossing, crossing rails having interrupted portions adjacent their points of intersection, blocks filling 'said interrupted portions and mountedpfor pivotal movement in either direction, a pair of parallel plates arranged at opposite sides of each block in contacting engagement therewith, said plates being capable of pivotal movement in either direction, and yieldable means connected with each plate to hold the latter and said blocks normally vertical said interrupted portions andl mounted for pivotal movement in either direction, means for normally holding each block in a vertical position, said means including a pair of spaced pivoted plates arranged at the opposite sides of each block and in contacting engagement therewith, and a yieldahle element terminally connected with each plate, and a stop arranged in the path of movement of each plate, to limit the movement of the latter under the tension of said yieldable element. n

4. A railroad crossing comprising a base plat/e, angular corner pieces'supported on said plate and spaced apart to receive the adjacent ends of the rails o-f the track atl vtheir points of intersection, blocks pivoted between the adjacent pairs of corner pieces for filling the interrupted portions of the rails and mounted for pivotal movementY in either direction, and yieldably mounted plates arranged at the o-pposite sides of each block when normally holding the latter in a vertical position for the purpose specified.

5. In a railroad crossing, a base plate, angular corner pieces supported thereon and spaced apart, the adjacent ends of said rails at their point of intersection being supported Y on said base plate, a rail section interposed between the adjacent end of each rail and the adjacent corner pieces and supported on said base plate, a web forming part kofthe rail section and positioned between the adjacent corner pieces, and capable of being lifted therefrom to provide a space between the corner pieces and the adjacent rail to allow the corner pieces to be shifted upon the base for separation from each other, a pivot projecting from one corner piece of each pair and received byan opening inthe other corner piece, a block mounted on each pivot fo-r filling theinterrupted portions at the crossing for the purpose specified, each block being mounted for vpivotal movement in either direction, and yieldably mounted plates arranged at the opposite sides of each block and utilized to normally hold each block in a true vertical position, and a stop arranged in the path of movement of said plates to limit the movements of the latter in one direction. v

In testimony. whereof I afIiX my signature.

DANIEL w. MiLLsAPs 

